Philly is Joe Biden’s first stop on mission to cure cancer; Tech community solidifies plans for SXSW; 20 Philly ideas for the Knight Cities Challenge

Newsletter for Wednesday, Jan 13 2016

INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY

BIDEN WILL VISIT PENN FRIDAY AS PART OF HIS CANCER INITIATIVE

Did you hear how President Barack Obama stated a goal of America curing cancer in his State of the Union last night and placed Joe Biden in charge? Well, Biden’s first stop on this mission is in Philly, at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center. He announced in a post on Medium that he would meet with Abramson researchers and physicians on Friday. “I know that we can help solidify a genuine global commitment to end cancer as we know it today,” Biden wrote, “ and inspire a new generation of scientists to pursue new discoveries and the bounds of human endeavor.”

PHILLY’S BIGGEST NEWSROOMS GO NONPROFIT: WHAT TO KNOW

Philadelphia’s largest newsrooms have gone nonprofit. Now what? In a move that excited the journalism community even as it elicited shrugs for “what it all means,” on Tuesday the owner of the Philadelphia Inquirer,Daily News and Philly.com donated those news assets — plus $20 million — into a new nonprofit structure aimed at managing them. The 85-year-old H.R. “Gerry” Lenfest attended a formal announcement of his gift at the National Constitution Center on Tuesday morning. Here are four takeaways from that weirdly emotional event.

For three years psychologist and folklorist Anna Beresin gave jump ropes, balls and chalk to Philly school kids, and followed up with art activities. This workshop explores those activities through artwork based on the children's experiences.

BILLY PENN LIKES

MEET THE 20 KNIGHT CITIES FINALISTS FROM PHILLY

Think the city might be better off with pop-up beer gardens reimagined for families? Maybe a civic-minded alternative to the oft-criticized Diner En Blanc? What about a way to engage the immigrant community through ethnic foods at Reading Terminal Market? The Knight Foundation thinks they’re powerful ideas, too. The grant-making nonprofit announced its 158 national finalists for its Knight Cities Challenge, a call for ideas that answer the question of how to make cities more successful. Here are the 20 ideas from Philly that made the cut.

SPONSORS, MOMENTUM ADDED TO #SXSWPHILLY DRIVE

Local digital leaders have coordinated to get some 70 Philadelphia companies and musicians to work in unison at the South By Southwest festival this year in a way to promote their products and services, as well as promoting Philadelphia as an ideal place in which to live, work and invest. Cities like Washington D.C. and Boston have done the same thing in the past, but it will be Philadelphia’s first coordinated effort. Here’s the latest on their effort — including what sponsors have signed on, and what’s next.